Sanctuary
by Desperado1102
Summary: 500 acres to run and stretch our legs, to hunt and not be hunted..it was sanctuary for us.


hello! Unfortunately, I do not own any of these lovely characters! All I own is the 500 acres of imagination land!

please review!

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I could feel fall closing in around us everywhere I turned, casting a shadow over my summer heart. It was in the air, hanging like a promise over my head, whispering like a lullaby through the still green leaves. The sunset was so different here in the country. It was so soothing and calm. The few rays of sunlight left reflected off my skin and threw beautifully colored shapes across the tall grass of the meadow, making me smile with glee. It was still all so beautiful to me, the way my skin sparkled like a thousand diamonds lay embedded underneath. Edward said I would get used to it, but I was beginning to think I never would.

No matter how magical my first summer had been, I could not help but mourn its passing. I would miss the lazy days we spend here in the warm breezes off the water. The thought of cold produced a hollowness in my chest and I sighed at the thought.

It wouldn't be long now until he came to find me. He didn't like when I up and disappeared, it made him nervous and anxious. I was still the danger magnet I had been when he first met me. Though he didn't say it, I could see the worry and relief in his eyes when he finally located me. Until he noticed, I would wait for him, not caring to wander too far from where I knew he was.

I traced my palms over the tops of the high grass in the meadow that spread for miles and miles. It was sanctuary for us. 500 acres of land to run and stretch our legs, to hunt and not be hunted, to walk lazily out in the sunlight, surrounded by a halo of diamond colored rays shooting off our snow white skin. To be able to swim for miles and never worry, to jump higher than a mountain, to return happily to a comfortable home nestled in between the towering trees. Sanctuary.

Alice had visited yesterday with Jasper. She dropped by at least three times a week, unable to bear life without us, or so she said. She routinely begged Edward to come back because she was so lonely without her favorites. Edward would laugh at her; everyone was her favorite at some point or another. He loved when she came to visit. I could see the brotherly adoration in his eyes when they raced each other through the field or when they played chess. I still didn't understand how they managed the game together with so many…exceptions. She, too, adopted an attachment to our home here.

The rest of the family came regularly, bringing joy and life to all the open space here. Out of all of them, it was Jasper who found real solace here amidst the trees and the endless fields. He would come when he felt overwhelmed, happy to have a safe haven from the sometimes unbearable outside world. He usually kept to himself, but he and Edward always had time for an intense, other-worldly wrestling match. They wore each other out to the point of exhaustion after countless hours. It was always a draw. I was always happy to have Jasper here. Needless to say, it was a very calming time.

But it was the time here spent alone with my Edward that made my first year so memorable. We reveled in the fact that we were the only people around for miles. We took advantage of the space and played like children. We swam and raced and climbed to the tops of the very tallest trees. We walked for hours, hand in hand through the endless meadow, our meadow now. We stood by each other, nothing could touch us, no one could bring us down, and for the first time in almost nine decades, Edward experienced true harmony.

My mind had wandered, I had not heard the footsteps or the soft pitter patter of his graceful leaps and bounds as he made his way toward me. "Bella," he whispered, his lips on my ear as he wrapped his arms around me. I started foolishly. Who else could it possibly be? Still, he smiled, his lips pulling over his perfect teeth. He was so beautiful as he stood before me, his skin reflected in a million different angles of color, his hair tousled and wind blown from the run.

"Edward," I breathed and he tucked me closer to him, unafraid now of damaging my delicate, human body. He leaned down to gently kiss my lips and when he pulled away I saw the familiar relief behind his kind eyes. I smiled.

"Having second thoughts?" It was one of his usual conversation starters. I just laughed and shook my head.

"Yes, change me back," I said and he smiled, still with that same underlying guilt for changing me, for taking my life, for being so selfish to keep me for his own.

"Edward, I wouldn't have it any other way," I said and reached up between us to pet his cheek. It still surprised me when I didn't feel the shock of the coldness I always remembered there. It felt normal beneath my own ice cold skin. He turned his face in and kissed my palm.

"I know you wouldn't, love," he said and smiled, his golden eyes burning with compassion. He held me in front of him, my back to his chest as we watched the remaining minutes of dusk. Then would come twilight. But he didn't mind twilight as much anymore he said. Everyday was just as good as the one before it, he promised me.

"Where will we go when the summer ends?" I asked quietly. Edward inhaled then exhaled slowly.

"I suppose with Carlisle and Esme and the rest of them. They think it's time we rejoined the rest of the world." He paused and hummed softly something I didn't recognize. "We could stay here for good if you like," he said calmly in his gentle voice as he rested his chin on my head.

"No," I said, knowing he would want to rejoin society as much as me. He missed his family, our family. "It's time for a break from here," I said and ran my eyes over our meadow and the water below. I felt him nod once and his humming continued. This time I recognized the song. It was my lullaby. It still had the same effect on me as the first time he played it for me. I immediately felt comfortable and safe here, in this moment, in his arms. I was nearly weeping with happiness and I could think of no place I'd rather be. "Edward," I said softly. The humming didn't stop but I knew he had heard me. I let his name linger between us for a few moments while I watched the sun set, tracing little patterns on his bare forearms that were protectively wrapped around me. "I love you," I said slowly and fluidly, affection and untamed adoration dripped from every syllable. I felt his chest rumble against my back with an approving murmur.

"You are everything to me," he said simply, kissing the top of my head.

The sun had faded beneath the horizon, leaving behind a dull orange and pink glow that faded into a darker sky, dotted brilliantly with thousands of stars. He continued to hum my lullaby with his honey voice, picking up where he left off and hugging me closer to him.

Twilight had fallen around us and we welcomed it together.

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Let me know what you think!

thanks guys,

Kate


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